Pile fabric and method of weaving the same



Feb. 12, 1935 H. L, SHUTTLEWORTH FILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF WEAVING THE SAME Filed Oct. 18, 1933 www ATTORN EY6 Patented" Feb. 12, 1935 um'rse run manic AND ma'rnon or wEAvrNG; @rna SAME Howard L. Shuttleworth, Amsterdam, N. in, as-" a signer to Mohawk CarpetMills, Ina, Amster- V dam, N. Y., acorporation ofNew York Application October 18, 1933, Serial No." 6943110 g j- 50mins; (cine-+4911 1 This invention relates to tuft pile fabrics 'of the Axminster type and is concerned with a novel fabric and a new method by which that fabric may beadvantageously produced, The new fab-,

' ric differs from and is superior to ordinary Airminster fabrics as heretofore made 'in"that the web or body is heavier and fuller, this effect being obtained by the use of straight warps employed insuch number and so interwoven hi the fabric that they completely fill the longitudinal spaces between the binder warps and provide a warp plane which is substantially continuous across the V fabric and against which thebottom ofthepile loops is seated. Becauseof the'use of this greater number of straight warpsthan it has previously been possible to employ in an Axminster fabric, the new material has a firmer and more solid back and the pile loops are bound more seeurelwm place. By the new method, this fabric "can'be produced on looms which resemble ordinary Airminster looms, except for certain modifications, andoperateat the high efiicie'ncy of such looms.

The Axminster fabrics to which the {inventiohf relates are those in which the pile is made'of yarn drawn from separate supplies difiring theiopera tion of the loom, these yarns being inserted in have a pattern on the pilewhichis sharp and clean-cut, and every tuft in the fabric may be of a differentcolorfrom all the others, so that extremely elaborate patterns may be. employed. In Wilton materials, the number of colors is limited to a relatively small number and the height of the pile is restricted "by thepractical limitations on theheight of the wire that can be used in making thepile loops. Also, sincethe] tuft yarns are employed'only for the tufts, there are no portions of the: tuft yarns which? extend through the fabric and represent a waste of tuft yarns, as in the 'caseof Wilton materials' The -elimination of the dead yarn which is present all fabrics of the Wilton type keeps down the cost of the tuft pile fabricsto a'substantial extent and the method of insertion of the yarns makes itpossible to obtain pattern effects in the pile and at the same time have pile of" varying heights vIn fabrics of the tapestry type, there is no dead pile beobtained in Wilton and tapestry goods.

across the fabric. j

The ioomsused for the weaving of Axmmster in order to makesuch fabrics with a pattern on the'pile, the, pile is printed'before it enters the loom and the areas of different color. on the pile threads must correspond exactly in length to the lengths of the tufts or the height of the pile. As

the yarn is printed on a .drum and the circum- P ference of the drum is the'lengthof a single strand of pile yarn required in the length of the rug, for example, itwill be apparent that variations inthe heightof the pile of a tapestry fabric requirethe use of drums of different diameters and because of this, there is a practical limit tothe height of the pile that such a fabric can have.

'1 Axminster fabrics can be produced more cheap ly thanWilton and tapestry materials because and tapestry looms and require little attention. liorthe reasons set forth, tuft pile fabricsof the Axr'ninster type offer substantial advantages Axminster'loomsin which the filling is inserted by-a needle operate more efficiently than Wilton oven both Wilton and tapestry fabrics but "as The reason for this is that because of the manner in which the pile yarns are inserted in Axminster fabrics, ithas not been possible heretofore to employ a sufficient numberof straight warps .so that p the tuft loops which is substantially continuous V fabrics are in general of the tube. frame type and.

in such a loom, the yams for the tufts are wound on ,spools carried on tube frames which are advanced with'a step'by step movement and in each period of rest a tube frame is removedfrom thechainslby a transfer mechanism and presentfor each end of tuft yarn and in order to insert the tuft yarns in the fabric, the frames are dipped so thatthe tubes pass between the warp threads directly in front of the reed and the yarn ends I projecting out of the tubes thenextenddown below all the warp threads. After the tubeframe f has been lowered to pass the yarn ends between the warp threads, it is raised slightly so-that the tubes are clear of the warp threads, while the projecting yarns lie with theirilowerends below ed to the-fabric. Thereis a tube on each frame 4 v I the warp threads: The warp threads are then by means of a comb, the teeth of which passue- V ward between the warp threads. The inserted.

lengths of yarn are next severed from the supplies by suitable knives an'diwhile this action is taking place, the succeeding weft shot is beinginserted between the warp threads. The, tube frame is restored to the .chaiins,"andfthe,latter, v e v e .'of the new' fabric .on theline '77 of Figure 8;

advanced to bring another frame in; position to b removed from the chains by the transfer mechae nism and presented to theta-brie.

In such a loom, the space between the ends of adjacent tubes on the frame is of small width and the space. between "adjacent teeth x011; the combis. also small; -Duringtheyyarn inserting operation, the ends. ofiithe'. tubes must pass, be

tween adjacent warp threadsand a number-of warp threadsmust enter eachspace between ad-t jacent. tubes iasi the: latter dip into the fabric; Similarlmvin the. combing operation, the. teeth of the comb'pass' between adjacent Warpthreads to .loop .therpile yarns: about the: holding weft I shot and. a numberofywarp threadsmust enter I each space inthecomb; The spaces between the tubesand between the teeth of the comblareso small that theycannotgreceive; more than four warpsmade 'of relatively small size threads and,

accordingly, .ione customary Axminsterweaveincludes one setof binder warps and ,one org-two ;sets of stuffer' or: straightawarps with jazstraight.

warp. of each';set1lyi ng' between adjacent binder warps...- In some fabricstwo sets of binders are employed and they-cross thegweft shots inpairs madeupof one warp of each set. In that case,

there is a straightawarpof eachsetlyingbetween adjacent pairs .of.binder warps; y Y

-In-all the Axminster fabrics. thusproduce'd; the .pile tufts lie between the warprthreads in adjacent reed splitsand. there are nottolexceed twostraightwarpsbeneath each pile tuft sothat the spaces beneath the-tufts are not completely filled with straight warps. ;--Suchfabrics have a soft flimsy. back,- and the tufts are not, firmly bound at the bottom of each tuftloop, with the result that itlis necessary to size'the backof 'the fabric in order to 'give it the required Stiff-.-

ness, the sizing also assisting in binding the tufts in the bo'dy."- Theeuseof'sizingadds to the cost -viously" used, *andthe new fabric thus; has the type of body characteristic'of Wilton materials but may be produced with the sharp; pi-le designs and} the economy in manufacture heretofore. at+

tained only inthe weaving of Axminster fabrics.

'ThB Il6\V method may be carried on i in a standard tube frame 100m: modified in certain respects,

thesernodifications involvingsimplification ofthe lo'oni" bythe eliminationof the combing mechanism, the use of a different. type of reed, and various changes in the heddle mechanism.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, which Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are views in side elevation and partly in, section, diagrammatically. illustrating successive' -steps in thefcarrying gout of I the new method;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation showing a form of reed which may be employed in a loom ,for'weaving according to the new method;

Figure '6 is a plan view showing the warp threads passing through the reed;

Figure isi altransverse section of one form and -'Figuresf8,9,"and" are longitudinal sectional In the drawing, there are illustrated various partsjof a loom inwhich the newmethod can be practiced and Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, shoW.differ ent steps in the operation. of. weaving the. three-shot,threemlaneAxminster. fabric of the 1 new I varietycwhich;;is-.illustrated in Figure .7.

This-fabric; consists of straight-warpsZO and '21 lying in upperand. lower planes, respectively, and weft shots 22, 23..and 24-which;li'e.above straight warps 20,, belowstraigh-t warps 21, and between straight warps; and g 21-, respectively; The Wfiffl shots are preferably inserted the order namedandconstitute acycle repeated throughout the'fabric. ,The piletuftyarns 25 are looped abouteaoh -weft shot 24 of each" cycleand the' weft 'shotsZZand 23 are held in placebybinder warps 26:. This fabric, instead of'having. one straight; warp 21 ;in the loweriplane .for each binder warp thread, as has heretofore been customary in-Axminster fabrics of the same type .of weave, ;isj-woven= with. a plurality of such warps 21 and"the fabricis illustrated inFigure 7 as views.showing various forms of the new fabric.

includingagroup of four-warps 21 for each binder arp; 2.6. The warps 21 .irfeach group completely fill. the spaces betweenadjacent binder warps 26 and thus form asubstantially continuouss s/tarp; plane-from one :side of the fabric to the other, with the bottoms of the. tuft loops resting upon the warps in this plane. .Thezuse of theincreased number of warps2 1 addsto the firmnessand stiffness of the bottom: of the fabric and thesequalitiesmay be enhanced :by the ,use of heavywarp threads, such as jute, in-the lower warp planen; v r ...The .weavingof the fabric described ,may be carriedon in av loom' which includesthe; usual breastpla'te 27, tube frames 2s, needle 29,- and a reed 30, the reed being preferably constructed as shown in Figure;5. Thisreed' comprises a-dent holder 30 mounted on arms 3l-fast.on;a shaft 32 ,journaled in suitable bearings and rocked-so as tocauseithe reed1to beat upweft shots in the usual way at the proper instants in the operation of 1- the: loom. Mounted on the, reed holder are tworows of dents 3'3 and.34,'respectively, these rows of .dents being securedin placeby a plate 35=and the dents 33 of the back row being ada justable relative tothedent holder-30' and tothe dents .34.:of' the "front" row by means ofadjusting -screws.36.-- r .1'; I *In'carrying on the newmethod of weaving, the first shot of weft 22,111 the cycle, as shown in Figure 1, is-insertedby the needle ze in a shed inwhich the binder warps. 26'are raisediby their heddle37and the straightwarps 20;and.2 l are sists of a doublecstrand of Tfilling'material, it is retracted and the reed'is moved forwardso that the shot is beaten up in'ithe usual wayrby the dents 34 in the front rowoftheredx Anew-{she'd is then formed in which the binder warps ,26' are down and the straight warps'20 and'21fup an'din this shed, the weft shot 23, is-inserted. Prioitto thebeating up of the shotsrby thereed, the heddles operate in, the usual Wat tolevel'oiftthe wa-rp. threads and bring them substantiallyi in'"the sameplane;v V t r 1 ;--:.:l: :1

After the weft shot 23 hasbeen inserted, a rave of tuft yarns is introducedinto the fabric by. the dipping of a tube. frame into the warp threads.

. Before this occurs, however, .theheddle- 391is1l'owered to move the straight warps 21 dOWIlmbGlQW their 7 ordinary shedding-position, and when the warps 21, which are greater in number than the warps 20, have been thus loweredthe, tube frame 28, which has been removed from the chainsand presented to, the fabric, is moved: down by the ns er me h i at e uhesfimes between the warp threads 20-;and. 26 only, The

movement of the tube frame tor this purpose-is downward away from thebreastplate and toward the reed-so that -freeends ef; the tuft yarns i1 projecting out of the ends'oftheitubeslie vnear the fell of the fabricand aboveall theflwarp threads, j while the ends, of the-tubes lie be low the warp threads 20' and' ,26 'and}aboye the warp 7 threads 21. The portions or the tuft yarnsex posed beyond the ends of .the tubes may then rest upon thewarpithreads '21 be supported thereby; and while thetube frame and tuft ya'rn s arein this position, the warp threads 26,,are lowered to ordinary shedding'position, a's fl'showntin Figure while warp threads 20 are "raisedl,f' l'he needle 29 now advances to-insert thegshot. 2;i, and after the nee'dleis retracted,theftubejfran e rises slightly to clear the warp, threadsf 20' and 26. .All the warp threads are then moved toward level position and the reed advances to beat the shot. .This shot, when beaten up holds the tuftyarns between it and the preceding shot, and whilethe reed isiir'noving bacl t he tube. frame is raised by" the transfer mechanism and the r quired amount of yarnf for thelitufts is drawn from the supplies, the insertedlengthsoiyarn being looped tightly about the "holdihgshetj this operation; A new-shed is now made in whieh warps 2,6 are raised and warps 20 and 21 lowered to ordinary sheddin Qs itio n. and the Y inserted in this shed. 'I During these Ioperations, the tuft yarns are severed lfrornithe supplies by meansof the'usual cooperating knives 42 andgif3, the: tube frame is restored to the chains and another frame picked up bythe transfer mech anism.- The cycle of operations described is then repeated indefinitely throughout the" operation of theloom. r r 'J 1 I:

It will be noted'that'; according-.ritoithe new' method/the warps 21 are somanipulatedthat prior to the actual dipping'ofthe tuft yarns between the warp threads the warps '21 navebeea movedjout of the way anddo fnothave to the" spaces between the mes As a; n'se ue ce; theremay be many moreof thewarpsi lithajn it has heretofore been possibletoeniploy'and likewise these warps maybe of heavierthread, it, is desirable, thatthe number and'sizetof the warps 21 should be such s w fillbompletlythe spaces between adjacent binder warps in the finished bric mi impractical fies!- het a seem: a

ne d taper ferred;.to canbe 'filled-by-four warps 21 of-threa of a size which is convenient to handle. 1 1 i It willzalso be-noted thatin .a loom for, practicing thenew; methochthel, tuft :yar-ns are dipped into the fabric bieia movement downand away from the breastplateitoward the reed-sothat the hold of theicombwould preventthe; use of the large number,,-;of=. warps 21. By inserting; ,the pile arns,initb man ridesc i ed tt c b a q 1 omittedgand ;;there ;is ."thus ,no restriction) from thi o r eb t ehum ndi e Q' -th -warps method otgweaving the limitations on the number and ze of he-w r thr i he: rbel w heibqt msh i th t t l o s w ic ar Ordinarilyimposed, by the size of the spaces between the tubes of {the-tube frame and between the teeth oi the combh av'e been overcome in one instance, 'by so manipulating the warps in this plane that the tubes do not passbetween them and in the other, by soinserting the tuft yarnsthat nocomb is required' iorjithelcompletion of the loops.

in the practice of the new method, I have found it'fdesirable.tojinsure that the'warps and 26 mey ,be. properly spaced transversely of the fabric so gthatthe'tube frames may passfreely between these 'warps andyiti iS Qparti'cuIarly desirable to naintainthisspacingwhen the warps 21 are of heavy, rough material, suchasjjute; The reed il lustrated i'rinigure elmay' be used for the specified "and: the warpsflpassthroujghthereed in iny 'in'v tijo'n','both iabri'csbeing of the two-plane hree as eri 't we s b n warps n f the rabne'jshowniinrjigure 9, 111? weft shots fif 'and '5 of eaehfcycle lie above; the straight looped a outtne shot '45. In the e Figure'flflfthere are two shots e e cycle lying belowthe straight warps 2 1:andone'sIiotAQ-above, the piletufts "being looped about the shot49. In both'these fabrics, therear'ejtwo sets 'o'f bindei' wa'rps and 51 and insuclf-fabi ics,"the straight warps may correspend "in number andsize to thestraight warps 21' in'the fabric shown 'in -Figiire 7, since during the insertiori'ofthe pile yarns, the shed for holding weft" shot is formedbetw'een the binder arps'so amen 5 In the' fabric shown in Figure 7 in which aesi ngle" setfof 'bindr warps issued, two sets of a t e ert shot'dfi liesbelow, the pile that; may be used. ,g eccordingly, in the new ann'e'r thatjjeachwarp 20 and 26, passes to H one side orga dentf33jin onerowandto the opp'o stufier warps are regiuired, and s'ince thewarps V zoyjiy g inthe upperfl'e'vl term art of the shed fer the holding weft shot and have to ,be received inthe spacesbetweenthe tubes and between the teethjoifth eqmb; these warps areof relatively soft small "sized'thread. 1 Whentwqsts of binder warps are employed as showninFiguresQ and 10,

these :s ni alli-sizedistraight warps are not required, although they, maybe used if desired, 1 While 1 have .ldisclosed three ,difierent fabrics embodying the principles ofmy invention and woven in ,aceerdance-with the new method, it, will be apparent that various. other" weaves may also be used. 1

The new fabric of the invention differs from ordinary Axminster fabrics in that there isa: substantially continuous plane of straight warps be low the bottoms-of theplletufts; 'and 'these' war-p f threads close the; bottom of the spaces in which thepile tufts lie' an'd support and-bind the pile tufts in position, and give the fabric a greater fullness .and stiffness in the body' than has-here'- tofore been attainable =in Axminster goods. While the new fabric has a; body resembling that of Wilton material; it differs from Wiltonfabricsin that thepile tufts are formed ofya'r-n drawn from representing ajwaste in the fabric. The'new'f'abseparate supplies and thereisnodead pile yam ric' also differs from both Wilton and tapestry materials in that the weft shots are double strands and thefabric may have sharp-clean cut patterns 7 on the pile which cannot be obtained in'tapestrygoods. The new fabric" is also much cheaper't'o weave than both Wilton and tapestry materials because it can be produced'on a-"loom of'the Ax- "use of a comb. This method of weavingthus 1 as the new method" can be carriedion ina loom makes it possible to produce Axminster' fabrics having a much larger number of straight warps than it has heretofore-been possible to employand' of the Axminster'type, it a'ifords a cheap andflefficient wayof producing a fabric superior'to A r 7 minster fabrics woven by prior'methods; 7

While I have disclosed my novel. method of weaving inconnect'ion with aloom of the tube frame'insertion type, it is to be understood that the method can be practiced on a loom of the gripper type and it can be used to produce. Ax-

' ,minster fabrics on such a loom whichit has been impossible heretofore to weave on that l'oom. In a gripper loom, the necessity of passing the grippers between the warp threads to insert the severedlengths oftuft'yarns places'a limitation on the number of straight warp threads which can be used since,-if there are toogreatanumber of straight warp threads, the grippers cannot bepassedbetween them; With my method, the large number of warp threads, which are desirable in the plane below the pile tufts, canbe employed sincein practice of the new method, these straight warp threads are lowered. beyond ordinary lower shedding position during the inser-- tion of the tufts and the grippers, therefore, do not have to pass betweenthem. Gripper looms ordinarily include a slotted breastplate but that feature cannot be used in a gripper loom producing my new fabrics because of the impossibility of passing the largenumber of straight warps which I use through the slots-of thebreastplate.

'What I claim is: I

1. A method of weavin'g'an Axminster fabric consisting of binder and stuffer warpsin sets; one set of warps being madeup of relatively heavy stiff threads and containing more threads than the other sets of warps, piletuft yarns, andweft shots, a plurality of said shots constituting a weaving cycle, which comprises lowering said set of heavy warps beyond ordinary lower shedding position, inserting tuft yarns-through the other sets of warpsz-only by moving supplies of said yams downward and away from the fell of the fabric; saidxmovement of the supplies'forming bightszof yarn'extending through said other sets of warps; only with. the freeends oflthe yarns lying' iadjacent theifell of the fabric, forming a shed of said other sets of warps while maintaining saidhe'avy warpsbeyond ordinary lower shedding positiominserting a weft shot'in said shed, said shot passing. through said bights, moving all said warpstoward levelposition, beating upsaid shot, raising said supplies to loop the inserted yarns about saidxshot, severing the inserted lengths'of yarntfrom said supplies, forming shedsof all the warps ip-the ordinary Way for the succeeding shotsof the cycle, andinserting saidsucceeding shots. v 7 V 2'. A'- method of weaving an Axminster fabric consisting of a-set' of binder 'warps'fand two sets .of 'stuffer warps, one'set of's'tuffer warps contain- I5 and beating up andweft shots, a-plurality of said shots-constitutinga cycle, whichcomprises, lowering said set of heavy warps beyond ordinary lower shedding position, inserting'tuft' yarns through the other sets of warps onlybymoving supplies of said yarns downward and away-from the fell of the fabric, said movement of the supplies forming bights of yarn extending through said other sets'of warps only'with the free ends of the yarns lying adjacent'the fell' of the fabric, forming'a. shed of said other sets of'warps while maintaining'said heavy warps beyond ordinary. lower shedding position,

inserting a weft shot-in said shed, said shot pass-1 ingthroug'h said bights, moving all said warps. toward level position, beating up said shot, raising said supplies to loop the inserted yarns about said shot, severing; the inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies, 'foriningsheds' of all the warps in the ordinary'way'for the succeedingshots of the cycle, and inserting and beating up said succeeding shots. l

3. A method of weaving an Axminster fabric consisting of a set of relatively stiff and heavy of saidsets of binderwarps, weft shots inserted in cycles, aplurality' of shots per cycle, and tuft yarns, which comprises lowering said heavy stuffer; 'warpsbeyon'd "ordinary lower, shedding positiominserting tuft yarns through the sets of binder: warps .onlyby 'moving supplies of said yarns downward' and away from the fell ofthe' fabric; said movement ofgthe supplies forming bights'of yarn extendingthrough said sets of binder warps only with the free ends of the yarns lying adjacent-the fellof the fabric, forming a shed of said-sets of binder warps while maintaining said. heavy warps beyond ordinarylower shedding position, inserting a weft shot in said shed to pass through saidbights, moving all'said'warps toward level position, beating. up said shot, raising said supplies to loop the inserted yarns about said. shot, severing the inserted lengths of yarn weft ShOtSfit plurality of's'aid shots constituting heavy warps beyond ordinary lower shedding po sition, inserting portions of tuftyarn through the 7 other sets of warps only with'said portions form ing bights extending through said other sets of warps only and with the free ends of said portions lying above all said warps and adjacent the fell of the fabric, forming a shed of said other sets of warps while said heavy warps remain beyond ordinary lower shedding position, inserting a weft shot in said shed and through said bights, moving all said warps toward level'position, beatingup said shot,1 and drawing said portions of ,yarn tightly about said shot. l

5. A tuft pile Axminster fabric which comprises straight warp threads of large size and of relatively'stiff material, such as jute, in a lower plane, straight warp threads of relativelysoft small sized thread in an upper plane, weft shots inserted in cycles of three with one shot of each cycle lying above the straightwarp threads in the upper piane', another shotper cycle lying mow the straight warp threads in the lower. plane, and 7 another shot per cycle lying. between the straight warp threadsin the upper and lower planes, pile yarns looped about a single weft shot only of each cycle which lies between the straight warp threads in the upperand lower plane; and binder warp threads crossing over and binding the weft upper plane and orossin'g 'under and binding the Axminster fabric, said relatively large warp threads of'the lower level filling the space beneath each tuft yarnand forming a substantiall continuous warp plane across the fabric.

shots lyingabove the straight warpthreads in the l i 

